Alerts

New York, August 15, 2011--Kyrgyz authorities must thoroughly investigate Wednesday's brutal attack on Shokhrukh Saipov, the Osh-based editor and publisher of the news website UzPress, and bring his assailants to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Shokhrukh Saipov is the younger brother of Alisher Saipov, the prominent journalist killed in southern Kyrgyzstan in October 2007 whose murder remains unsolved.

New York, August 12, 2011--The Sultanate of Oman is threatening to shut down the independent newspaper Al-Zaman for publishing an article alleging corruption in the Ministry of Justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The article's author, prominent Omani journalist and filmmaker Youssef al-Haj, stands trial on Sunday and could face prison time if convicted.

New York, August 12, 2011--Gambian state security agency forced radio station Taranga FM to drop its popular news and current affairs programs for the second time this year, local journalists said. The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) threatened to close the community station southwest of the capital, Banjul, if the broadcaster did not drop its daily news programs in Wolof and Mandinka.

New York, August 12, 2011--Concern is mounting for the safety of journalist Rahmatullah Darpakhel, who was seized by a group of armed men in North Waziristan on Tuesday and remains missing, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

New York, August 12, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern today about a brutal attack on journalist Kishor Budhathoki in eastern Nepal on Thursday night. Budhathoki is vice president of the local chapter of press freedom watchdog the Federation of Nepali Journalists and also reports for sister papers The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post.

New York, August 11, 2011--Authorities should cease the residential surveillance of writer Ran Yunfei and allow him to communicate freely following his release from jail this week, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Ran has been forbidden from speaking publicly, according to The Associated Press.

Bangkok, August 11, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the prison sentence handed down on Wednesday to French-Vietnamese blogger Pham Minh Hoang and joins international calls for the dual national's immediate and unconditional release.

New York, August 10, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about a rise in the number of imprisoned journalists in Iran and the continuing deterioration of their health. In recent days, Iranian authorities increased a prominent journalist's prison term by two years and arrested a critical journalist who had just finished serving a prison sentence. Other journalists have suffered from declining health as a result of substandard conditions, extended periods in solitary confinement, and intentional abuse, according to news reports.

New York, August 9, 2011--Prison officials in western Kenya attacked three journalists working for the private broadcaster Nation Television (NTV) as they were covering an escape attempt by six inmates on Sunday, local journalists told CPJ.

New York, August 5, 2011--Angolan authorities should explain Tuesday's arrest and incommunicado detention of a radio journalist for reporting on a nationwide wave of mass fainting of people, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.